Vapor electric device.



F.CONRA&

VAPOR ELECTRIC DEVICE.

APPLICATION rcLEu xunzzl. 1912 Patented Nov. 9, 1915.

QUMWcMV m- INVENTOH MW n y. H

ATURNEY i the casing vacuum-tight.

VUNITED STATES PATENT orFioE.

FRANK CONRAD., 0F SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO WESTINGHOUSE'ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPOBATIGN 0F PENNSYL- VANIA.

f varon ELEo'raIc DEVICE.

Application filed June 21,

To atl 'whom it may concern.' t

Be it known that I, FRANK CONRAD, a citi-4 zen of the United States, anda resident of Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in VaporElectric Devices, of which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to vapor electric devices,such as mercury vaporcurrent rectifiers and lamps, and it has for its object to provide meansfor effectively cooling such devices and of such a character thatcondensation of vapor upon the anodes is substantially prevented and thepresence of abnormal electromotive forces between the anodes prevented.

My invention is illustrated in the` accompanying drawings, Figure 1 ofwhich is a side and sectional view through a rectifier embodying myinvention, and` Fig. 2 is a plan view of a rectifier embodying a modification thereof. Q

The rectifier or other vapor electric devices in connection with whichthe present invention is employed may be of anysuitable form, but ishere shown as comprising a metal-lic casing 1 containing a pool ofmercury 2, which constitutes a vaporizable negative electrode orcathode, and having a cover 3 that is clamped thereon to render Therectifier of Fig. 1 is provided with but one main anode 4 that projectsthrough, but is insulated from, the cover and extends a suitabledistance into the casing. The anode comprises a water tight outer shell5 of any suitable form, but preferably having an enlarged lower end witha concave extremity, and an inner tube 6 of somewhat less diameter thanthe outer shell and opening at its lower end into the enlar ementthereof, the lower end of the inner tue being provided with a vane 7that directs the cooling medium into the extreme portions of the saidenlargement. The inner tube extends somewhat beyond the upper end of theouter shell, which is provided with an apertured cap 8 that closely fitsthe inner tube and provides a water tight connection between the outerand inner tubes. The inner `tube constitutes Vaneinletvpipe or conduitfor a cooling me- Patented Novo. 9, 1915.

1912. Serial N0.705,037.

dium, and the outer tube or shell is provided iiear its upper end with alateral outlettap 9.

The casing 1 is loosely surrounded by an outer tank or jacket 10, awater-tight ]0int being provided between the casing and the tank attheir upper ends. The tank or jacket is provided at of near its bottomwith an inlet'tap 11, and at or near its top with an outlet tap l2 thatis connected by means of an insulating pipe or tube 13 to the inner tubeof the anode.

In the operation ofthe rectifier, water, oil, or other suitable coolingmedium, is forced at a suitable pressure through the inlet tap 1l intothe tank or jacket 10, Where it absorbs heat given ofi' at the cathodeand other parts of the rectifier, and then it flows out of the jacket 10through the outlet 12 at the top, through the pipe 13, Yand finallythrough and out of the anode 4. Thus, the water supplied to the anodefor cooling the same is of a higher temperature than the water thatenters the tank or jacket, because it is warmed somewhat by the heatgiven off by the body of the rectifier before being delivered to theanode. Consequently, the anode will always have a somewhat highertemperature than the cathode and other` parts of the rectifier, with theresult that mercury vapor does not condense thereon but condenses uponthe cooler parts. No diiiiculty, therefore, is experienced 1in theoperation of the rectifier by reason of the collection of mercury uponthe anode and of its dropping therefrom upon other parts, -and shortcircuits are consequently much less liable to occur than wouldotherwisebe the case. Furthermore, the cooling of the anode prevents thematerial thereof from attaining such a temperature that the negativeelectrode resistance thereof may be overcome. Superior results are alsoobtained in operation by reason of the concave form of the lower end ofthe anode which has the effect of causin the arc to travel around andprevents it rom becoming local.

In the rectifier of Fig` 2, two main anodes are employed, and, 'in orderthat they may have substantially the same temperature, the water orother coolin medium is directed through them in para lel streams. Tothis end, the pipe that connects the upper end of the tank or jacketwith the anodes is divided into two branches respectively leading to thetwo anodes. Insulating joints 14 are inserted in the branches of thecooling pipes in proximity to the anodcs so that fr short circuitbetween the anodes is prevented. I find that, by employing ordinary tapwater as the cooling medium, a sufiiciently high resistance path isprovided between the two anodes to prevent harmful short circuitingtherebetween. The resistance of saidpath is, however, so low as to causethe dissipation of high-voltage charges occurring on the anodes or onthe lead wires thereto. In this manner, the short circuiting of theanodes within the container is largely revented, as is set forth inUnited States gatent to Hayden, No. 1,032,900, July 16, 1912.

I claim as my invention:

1. rfhe combination with a current rectifier having an anode providedwith passages for a cooling medium, of a casing surrounding therectifier, and means for directing the flow of a cooling medium betweenthe casing and the rectifier and then through the passages in the anode.

2. The combination with a current rectifier having a terminal' memberprovided with passages for a cooling medium, of means for directing acooling medium first uponV the rectifier and then through the passagesin the terminal member.

3. The combination with a current rectifier having a terminal memberprovided with passages for the reception of a cooling medium, of acasing surrounding the rectifier, and a connection between the upperportion of the casing and the passages in the terminal member.

4. The combination with a rectifier having a terminal member3 providedwith pas sages for the reception of a cooling medium, of a casingsurrounding the rectifier and having an inlet at its bottom aiidanoutlet at its top, and means for providing communication between theoutlet and the passages m the terminal member.

5. The combination with acurrent rectifier havin r a plurality ofterminal members each provided with passages for a cooling medium, ofmeans for directing a cooling medium first upon the rectifier and thenthrough the passages in the terminal memers.

0. The combination with a current rectifier having a plurality ofterminal members provided with passafres foi a cooling medium, of meansfor (irecting a cooling medium first upon the rectifier and then inparallel streams through the passages in the terminal members.

7. The combination with a vapor rectifier provided with two anodes and acathode, of cooling means including a stream ofcooling liquid of lowconductivity passin to both anodes, whereby a protective con ucting pathof high resistance is provided between the anodes.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 17th dayof June,

FRANK CONRAD.

Witnesses:

WM. M. BRADsHAw, B. B. HINES. ne y It is hereby certified that inLetters Patent No. 1,159,900, grnted November 9, 1919, upon theapplication of Frank Conrad, of Swissvale, Penn'syflvania, for animprovement in Vapor Electric Devices," an error appears in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 2, line 67, claim 4,for the word liquid read juill; and that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this correction therein that the same muy conform to therecord of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 8th day of February, A. D 1916.

R. F. WHITEHEAJ), Acting Commissomr of Patente.

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